Shirt collar and cuff forming machine



June 29, 1965 v. M. MOORE SHIRT COLLAR AND CUFF FORMING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 26, 1962 IN VEN TOR.

& Elena/P MA M ATTORNEY June 29, 1965 v. M. oons SHIRT COLLAR AND CUFF FORMING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 115 09 MAR/E M 0026 Filed Dec. 26, 1962 IN VEN TOR.

AT'ronH EY June 29, 1965 v'. M. MOORE 3,191,557

SHIRT COLLAR AND CUFF FORMINGMACHINE Filed Dec. 26, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 S4- t 3! 30s L SI! V5204 Mae/E M0025 31 Z 12 INVENTOR. I

June 29, 1965 v, MQQRE SHIRT COLLAR AND CUFF FORMING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 26, 1962 IN VEN TOR.

V5204 Mae/s M0025 AT'TO R N EY United States Patent 3,191,557 SHIRT COLLAR AND CUFF FORMING MACHINE Verda Marie Moore, P.0. Box 2045, Long Beach, Calif.

Filed Dec. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 247,178 9 Claims. (Cl. 112-2) collar or cuff material is handled in a sequence in which the material is properly cut, stitched, reversed, and pressed in a sequence of stations traversed by a table on which the collar or cufi is positioned.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel collar or cuff forming machine, the material of which the collar or cuff is formed is mounted on a rotatable table, the table being supported on a rotatable frame, and where the rotatable frame, as well as the rotatable table, are power driven.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a novel shirt collar or cuff forming machine in which the machine will accept the clothof which the collar or cuff is formed, will place stays or stiffeners at the appropriate places on the cloth, will then cut the fabric to the required shape and size, will then stitch the pieces of cloth together subsequently reversing the collar or cuff in another sequence, then pressing the collar or cuff, finally sewing the exterior stitching, and then ejecting the completed collar or cuff so that it may be used in an appropriate manner.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a collar or cuff forming machine in which the various required operations on the fabric are performed in sequence and at separate stations, and where the collar or cuff is carried from one station to another on a rotatable table which is power driven.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawings, the subjoined detailed description and the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of thecloth feeding strip taken on line 1-1 of FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2--2 of FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the stiffener feeding mechanism.

FIGURE 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 44 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of one of the 'stitfeners or stays.

FIGURE 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 66 of FIGURE 8. I

FIGURE 7 is an end view as viewed from 7-7 inFIG- URE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a plan view of my collar and cuff forming machine.

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken from the line 9-9 of FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 10 is a top plan view of the collar or cuff turning mechanism.

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary side elevation of the collar ejecting means.

, FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken on line 1212 of FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 13 is a plan view of the reversing mechanism in one position of the parts.

FIGURE 14 is a fragmentary plan view of the reversing mechanism in another position.

FIGURE 15 is a fragmentary plan view of the reversing mechanism in still, another position.

FIGURE 16 is a fragmentary side view of the reversing mechanism.

FIGURE 17 is a fragmentary end view of a pressing head used in connection with the reversing operation.

FIGURE 18 is a diagrammatic flow chart of the various steps of my collar or cuff forming machine.

FIGURE 19 is a side elevation of the template for the cutter.

FIGURE 20 is a perspective of a completed collar.

FIGURE 21 is a plan view of a completed collar with parts broken away to show interior structure.

FIGURE 22 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 22-22 of FIGURE 21.

FIGURE 23 is a fragmentary plan view of a collar to illustrate the location of the final stitching.

My machine, which forms either a shirt collar or cuff, consists primarilly of a spider frame 30, which frame includes four horizontal arms 31 which are spaced 90 apart. The frame 30 is intermittently rotated by the motor 32 through a gear reduction 33 and gearing 34. The drive mechanism is actuated at intervals through a sequence timer 35. The sequence timer 35 is so designed that the arms 31 are rotated through an angle of 90 and then stop for a period of time to permit certain work to be done upon the collar or culf. There are four stops or stations arranged throughout the circumference of the frame 30, and each of these stations will be subsequently described in detail.

A table 36 is positioned adjacent the periphery of the frame 30 and at approximately the same height as the plane of the arms 31. This table supports a liner feed mechanism 138 of usual and well known design, this liner 37 consisting of :a loose woven material upon which stays or ribs 38 are placed. These stays or ribs are held in a conventional sequentially operated dispenser device 39. These ribs are usually formed of a thin plastic and have a heat sensitive adhesive surface on them so that heat and pressure will adhere them to the liner 37. The liners are fed horizontally over the top of the table 36 by means of a small motor 39 which actuates a toothed gear 40 engaging the bottom of the liner 37; thus the liners are fed horizontally. onto the cloth strips which will form the collar. The stiifeners 38 are attached to the liner 37 by the heating plate 41, which is reciprocated by the solenoid 42. The solenoid is activated at spaced intervals to press liner strips upon which the stiffening ribs are dropped is indicated at 140. These liner strips are supported on a table 141, which table or frame may beextended at rightangles to the main supporting table 36. The reinforcing ribs which are deposited on the liner are indicated at U 142 in FIGURES 3 and 4, and these liner ribs are positioned as indicated and are subsequently fixed to the liner ceive the spaced reinforcing strips 37 thereon, as shown in FIGURE 8. After the collars or cuffs have been cut from the strips 45-46 in a manner to be subsequently described, the surplus or refuse cloth is wound on the roller 47. The roller 47 is power driven, preferably by the motor 48. A third strip of cloth is fed onto the bottom 7 of the cloth strip 46 from a roll 49, and this strip of cloth becomes one of the finished surfaces of the cuff or collar. This arrangement in positioning of the layers of cloth reinforcing material and stiffening stays is all usual and well known in the modern shirt collar.

' On the outer ends of each of the arms 31 .I provide a supporting table 51, each of which are identical in cons'truction and, therefore, only one will be described in detail. Each of the tables 51 is mounted on a shaft 52, which shaft is journaled inthe outer end of an arm 31. A reversible motor 53, attached to the shaft 52, permits that shaft to be rotated in either direction, and also the table 51, as might be required at the various stations to be subsequently described. A cam plate or template 54 is fixedly attached to each of the shafts 52, and the purpose of this template or cam will be subsequently described at otherstations.

The first station is termed the cutter and this is shown in FIGURE 9, and where one of the table'tops 51 is directly under the strips of cloth which are being unrolled in a horizontal direction, as shown in FIGURE 8. The cutter is a reciprocally mounted head 55 which is positioned above the uppermost cloth strip 45, and is reciprocated by a solenoid 56. When the cutterhead 55 is driven downwardly, its cutting edges will cut the cloth into the proper shape of the collar or cuff. The layers of cut cloth are now dropped upon the table 51 and are ready for the next operation or station. The cutter 55 is now raised to permit the cloth to proceed under it to the next position where another collar or cuff can be cut, and this sequence continues. The sequence timer 35 now operates and the arms 31 are moved through an angle of 90, which carries the cut collar or cuff from station number one, previously described, to station number two which is the stitching operation. On one end of the table top 36 I provide a sewing machine 57 which performs the initial stitching around three edges of the collar or cuff. One edge of the collar or cuff remains open until finally attached to the sleeve or the shirt body, all of which is usual in the art. The sewing machine 57 is reciprocally mounted on the table top 36 and this mounting 58 includes a finger 59 and a horizontal rod 60. The outer end of the rod engages the template 54 and the cam edge of this template will move the sewing machine inwardly or outwardly to provide the proper configuration of the stitching on the cuff or collar. The template 54 moves the sewing machine head 57 in one direction, and a spring 61 moves it in the other direction. While the stitching operation occurs the head 51 is rotated by the motor 53, which not only moves the collar or cuff on the top surface of the head 51, but also causes the template 54 to function.

After the stitching operation has been completed the collar or cuff is now in a reversed position and is ready to be turned inside out. or reversed before the cuff or collar is pressed and finally stitched, which two actions occur in the third and fourth station respectively, which will be subsequently described. While the frame 30 and the arms 31 are again being moved through an angle of 90 from the stitching station as described above, the reversing or turning operation occurs by means of the reversing fingers. This structure is shown in FIGURES 10, 13,? 14, 15 and 16.

The reversing mechanism is mounted on each of the heads 51 and they consist of a pair of arcuate fingers 62-63 which are mounted on posts 64-65 respectively. These posts are positioned one on each end of the head 51. An arcuate finger 66 is attached to one end of the.

finger 62 and a similar finger 67 is pivotally attached to the end of the finger 63. These fingers are urged into a position concentric with the circle or are of the finger on which they are mounted by means of the coil springs 68 and 69 respectively. The fingers 66 and 67 are each moved toan open position shown in'FIGURE 13 by 4 means of a link 7!) connecting these parts; the link being cam actuated. The fingers 62, 66 and 63, 67 when in the closed position, as shown in FIGURES 14 and 10, will be rotated around the shafts 64 and 65 by the following mechanism: A shaft 71 is partially rotated at timed intervals by a solenoid 72 attached to this shaft. Partial rotation of the shaft 71 will then partly rotate the head 73 which, in turn, moves the rods 74-75 extending to fingers 76-77 respectively to rotate the shafts 64 and 65. When rotation of the shafts 64 and 65 occurs the pairs of fingers 62, 66 and 63, 67 will be gripping one edge of the collar 78 which is lying on the head 51. By the time the reversingfingers have been rotated into the collar 78 the arms 31 will have reached the third or steam pressing position, and at this point suction from a vacuum pump 79 will yieldably hold the collar on top of the head 51, thus holding the collar sufficiently to permit the collar.

to be reversed as the fingers 62, 66, 63 and 67 rotate through an angle sufficient to reverse the collar. As soon as this reversing action is completed the electrically heated pressing head 80 is lowered by the solenoid 81. The pressing head is fixedly mounted on a table 82 at the third station. The pressing head 80 will now smooth the collar and hold it in its properposition ready for final stitching. The frame 30 and the arms 31 will now again rotate to .the fourth or final station, where asecond sewing machine 83. is located and where the external or final stitches 84 are applied to the collar 73. After the application of the stitches 84 is completed the frame 30 and the arms 31 again rotate to an ejector belt 85, where a scraper 86 is located toen gage the .collars 78 and drop them onto the belt 85, where they are carried to a point for application to a shirt.

' In operation The shirt collar and cuff forming machine consists of the rotatable frame 30 with the horizontal arms 31. On the outer end of each of these arms a table 51 is rotatably mounted; the table '51 being rotated as required by the motor 53 again at timed intervals as required. The frame 30 is rotated at intervals through angles of 90 by means of the motor 32 and through the sequence timer 35. The arms 31 are moved to various positions, which are termed stations; the stations being numered one, two, three and four. At the first station, or number one, three superimposed layers of cloth are drawn across the table, and these layers, of cloth have a liner 37 arranged at spaced intervals throughout the length of the cloth strips, and each liner has a rib or stiffener fastened to it by means of a suitable adhesive. The cloth strips with the liner therein is fed onto the top of the table 51 in station one position, and at this point a collar is cut from the strip by means of a reciprocating cutter which is operated I by the solenoid 56. The collar, which has been cut from the cloth strips 45, 46 and 50, is now moved to station number two where the stitching occurs by the sewing machine 57. The table 51 is rotated during the stitching operation by the motor 53, and also the machine head 57 is reciprocated horizontally by the cam template 54 which permits the machine head to follow the contours of the edge of the collar. -When the collar has been stitched along three of its edges the reversing structure now is operated, which consists of moving the arcuate fingers 66-67 between the layers of cloth forming the collar and until these fingers grip the one side of the collar, together with the arcuate fingers 62-63. The fingers are now ro-. tated, which causes the collar to be reversed or turned During this turning operation the head. 51 has moved from station two to station three. At this right side out.

station a vacuum head, shown in FIGURE 17, holds the collar while it is being turned right side out. After the reversing action has occurreda steam pressing head presses the collar so that it will lie fiat. The fingers 66-67 are now withdrawn from within the layers of the collar and the head 51 moves to station four.

station a second sewing machine 83 stitches the final or exterior stitches on the collar, indicated at 84. After this final or external stitching has occurred the frame 30 is again rotated and moves the head 51 towards the ejector belt 85. A scraper 86 drops the collars onto the ejector belt 85 where they are transferred to a central collection point, t

Having described my invention, I claim: a

1. A shirt collar and cuff forming machine comprising;

a spider frame including a plurality of horizontal arms,

means rotatably mounting said spider frame,

means intermittently rotating said spider frame to successive spaced stations,

a table on the outer end of each of said arms adapted to receive a collar or culf thereon,

one of said tables being adapted to receive a strip of cloth thereon in one position of the parts,

cutter means to cut the cloth to shape and deposit the cut out pieces on one of said tables,

a sewing machine mounted at another of said stations; said sewing machine adapted to stitch the pieces of cloth together,

and reversing means on said table engageable with the collar or culf to turn the collar or cuff inside out after stitching.

2. A shirt collar and cuif forming machine comprising;

a spider frame including a plurality of horizontal arms,

means rotatably mounting said spider frame,

means intermittently rotating said spider frame to successive spaced stations,

a table on the outer end of eachof said arms adapted to receive a collar or cuff thereon,

one of said tables being adapted to receive a strip of cloth thereon in one position of the parts,

cutter means to cut the cloth to shape and deposit the cut out pieces on oneof said tables,

a sewing machine mounted at another of said stations; said sewing machine adapted to stitch the pieces of cloth together,

reversing means on said table engageable with the collar or cult to turn the collar or cufi inside out after stitching,

and a cloth pressing means at another of said stations whereby the collar or cuff is pressed.

3. A shirt collar and cuff forming machine comprising;

a spider frame including a plurality of horizontal arms,

means rotatably mounting said spider frame,

means intermittently rotating said spider frame to successive spaced stations,

a table on the outer end of each of said arms adapted to receive a collar or cuff thereon,

one of said tables being adapted to receive a strip of cloth thereon in one position of the parts,

cutter means to cut the cloth to shape and deposit the cut out pieces on one of said tables,

a sewing machine mounted at another of said stations; said sewing machine adapted to stitch the pieces'of cloth together,

reversing means on said table engageable with the collar or culf to turn the collar or cuff inside out after stitching,

and a final stitching machine mounted at still another station to complete the external stitching of the collar or cuff.

4. A shirt collar and cuff forming machine comprising;

a spider frame including a plurality of horizontal arms,

means rotatably mounting said spider frame,

means intermittently rotating said spider frame to suecessive spaced stations,

a table on the outer end of each of said arms adapted to receive a collar or cuff thereon,

' one of said tables being adapted to receive a strip of and a final stitching machine mounted at still another of said stations to complete the external stitching of 'the collar or culf. 5. A shirt collar and cuif forming machine comprising;

' a spider frame including a plurality of horizontal arms,

means rotatably mounting said spider frame,

means intermittently rotating said spider frame to suecessive spaced stations,

a table on the outer end of each of said arms adapted to receive a collar or cuff thereon,

one of said tables being adapted to receive a strip of cloth thereon in one position of the parts,

cutter means to cut the cloth to shape and deposit the cut out pieces on one of said tables,

a sewing machine mounted at another of said stations; said sewing machine adapted .to stitch the pieces of cloth together,

means reciprocally mounting said sewing machine at said station,

ca-m means on said table,

" a finger on said sewing machine engaging the cam means to reciprocate the sewing machine, and means to rotate said table on said arm.

' 6. A shirt collar and cuff forming machine comprising;

a spider frame including a plurality of horizontal arms,

means rotatably mounting said spider frame, means intermittently rotating said spider frame to successive spaced stations,

a table on the outer end of each of said arms adapted to receive a collar or cuff thereon,

one of said tables being adapted to receive a strip of cloth thereon in one position of the parts,

cutter means to cut the cloth to shape and deposit the cut out pieces on one of said tables,

a sewing machine mounted at another of said stations; said sewing machine adapted to stitch the pieces of cloth together,

means reciprocally mounting said sewing machine at said station,

cam means on said table,

a finger on said sewing machine engaging the cam means to reciprocate the sewing machine,

means to rotate said table on said arm,

reversing fingers on said table engageable with the collar or cuif to turn the collar or cuff inside out after stitching,

and means to rotate said fingers relative to the table While engaging the collar or cuff.

7. A shirt collar and cuff forming machine comprising;

a spider frame including a plurality of horizontal arms,

ineans rotatably mounting said spider frame,

means intermittently rotating said spider frame to suc cessive spaced stations,

a table on the outer end of each of said arms adapted to receive a collar or cuff thereon,

one of said tables being adapted to receive a strip of cloth thereon in one position of the parts,

cutter means to cut the cloth to shape and deposit the cut out pieces on one of said tables,

a sewing machine mounted at another of said stations; said sewing machine adapted to stitch the pieces of cloth together,

said station,

cam means on said table,

a finger on said sewing machine engaging the cam means to reciprocate the sewing machine, means to rotate said table on said arm, reversing fingers on said ta'ble engageable with the collar orcuff to turn the collar or cuff inside out after stitching, I means to rotate said fingers relative to engaging the collar or cutf, and a cloth pressing means at another of said stations whereby the collar or cuff is pressed, said cloth pressing means including a suction means to hold the collar or cufr during said reversing step. 8. A shirt collar and wit forming machine comprising;

the table While a spider frame including a plurality of horizontal arms,

means rotatably mounting said spider frame,

means intermittently rotating said spider frame to suecessive spaced stations, Y

a table on the outer end of each of said arms adapted to receive a collar or cufr thereon,

one of said tables being adapted to receive a strip of cloth thereon in one position of the parts, cutter means to cut the cloth to shape and deposit the cut out pieces on one of said tables,

I a sewing machine mounted at another of said stations;

said sewing machine adapted to stitch the pieces of cloth together,

means reciprocally mounting said sewing machine at said station,

cam means on said table,

a finger on said sewing machine engaging the cam means to reciprocate the sewing machine,

means to rotate said table on said arm,

reversing fingers on said table engageable with the collar or cult to turn the collar or cuff inside out after stitching,

, means to rotate said fingers relative to the table while engaging the collar or cufl,

and a final stitching machine mounted at still another of said stations to complete the external stitching of the collar or cutf.

9'. A shirt collar and cult formingmachine comprising; a spider frame including a-plurality of horizontal arms,

' means rotatably mounting said spider frame,

means intermittently rotating said spiderframe to successive spaced stations,

a table on the outer end of each' of said arms adapted to receive a collar or cuif thereon, I

one of said tables being adapted to receivea strip of cloth thereon in one position of the parts,

cutter means to cut the cloth to shape and deposit the cut out pieces on one of said tables,

a sewingmachinemounted at another of said stations; said sewing machine adapted to stitch the pieces of cloth together,

means reciprocally mounting said sewing machine at said station,

- cam means on said table,

a finger on said sewing machine engaging the cam means to reciprocate the sewing machine,

means to rotate said table on said arm,

reversing fingers on said table engageable with the collar or cuif to turn the collar or cut]? inside out after stitching,

means to rotate said fingers relativeto the table while engaging the collar or cuif,

a cloth pressing means at another of said stations whereby the collar or'cuif is pressed,

I said cloth pressing means including a suction means to hold the collar or cult during said reversing step,

and a final stitching machine mounted at still another of said stations to complete the external stitching of the collar or culf.

References Cited by the Examiner I UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,702,014 2/55 Brownstein 112-2 2,722,903 11/55 Larkin 112-2 2,940,404 6/60 Damon .4. 112-10 2,982,238 5/61 Fromm 112-2 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SHIRT COLLAR AND CUFF FORMING MACHINE COMPRISING: A SPIDER FRAME INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF HORIZONTAL ARMS, MEANS ROTATABLY MOUNTING SAID SPIDER FRAME, MEANS INTERMITTENTLY ROTATING SAID SPIDER FRAME TO SUCCESSIVE SPACED STATIONS, A TABLE ON THE OUTER END OF EACH OF SAID ARMS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A COLLAR OR CUFF THEREON, ONE OF SAID TABLES BEING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A STRIP OF CLOTH THEREON IN ONE POSITION OF THE PARTS, CUTTER MEANS TO CUT THE CLOTH TO SHAPE AND DEPOSIT THE CUT OUT PIECES ON ONE OF SAID TABLES, A SEWING MACHINE MOUNTED AT ANOTHER OF SAID STATIONS; AND SEWING MACHINE ADAPTED TO STITCH THE PIECES OF CLOTH TOGETHER, AND REVERSING MEANS ON SAID TABLE ENGAGEABLE WITH THE COLLAR OR CUFF TO TURN THE COLLAR OR CUFF INSIDE OUT AFTER STITCHING. 